When you do a show five days a week,
52 weeks a year, they are not always going to be perfect.
There are going to be warts.
There are going to be imperfections.
So you have to embrace the warts.
The warts need to become a part of the show.
Can't be precious about it.
You see people come. You see people go.
And you realize how replaceable everyone really is.
I was there 15 years.
I had to pretend to be amused by four different meteorologists.
And then you realize that you're the replaceable one.
For the time being, they've been deemed necessary.
Again, Cyril, they are trying to strike that very delicate balance between
making sure that they prevent the spread of this virus…
Oh, my God.
…in a country in a part of the world
that so far hadn't had to deal with this epidemic
-without sowing the seeds of panic-- -It's Armageddon.
We're all gonna die. Unbelievable.
-It is. -End of the world.
God.
I should get home. Be with my kids.
When are you leaving?
Well, I can't right now.
Travel wouldn't be a good idea.
So I guess we have, what, a couple days left on our two weeks?
At least Italian authorities have insisted that because they've been…
-Is that okay? -Okay, not okay,
it doesn't make a difference. I can't stop time.
What I meant was I'm sorry.
Don't apologize. It makes you look weak.
Hey, Paola.
…229 confirmed cases…
What is it?
…will continue to rise with all the neighboring countries,
given the open borders here in Europe…
Since I'm leaving, I want to ask you something.
I've been thinking about it for the last couple of days.
But… I haven't been able to find the right time to say it.
But now that I'm going…
Could you please delete my interview?
…St. Mark's Square, this early afternoon here in Venice.
I know-- It's not that I don't trust you.
Are you sure?
Yes. Yes.
That's exactly what it seems you're saying.
No, no. This isn't about you.
I don't trust the world.
This stuff gets out there.
This doesn't have to be anybody's fault.
You're still concerned about what people think of you.
Fuck yeah, I'm concerned.
I don't want my kids seeing some of the stuff in that interview.
God forbid your kids think you're a three-dimensional person.
You know what? The world doesn't want complex.
They don't want complicated. They want easily digestible--
I'll delete the interview, all right?
Nobody will ever know your true thoughts or feelings.
Just the way you like it.
I'm gonna go get my computer, and I'll come back,
so you can see that I'm deleting it.
You don't have to do it in front of me. I trust you.
…weren't any contact with people who had returned from China anytime soon.
-What are you doing here? -Let me in.
-I can't. -You will.
-You have to let me in. -Alex.
I was exposed to coronavirus. I'm quarantining.
-I don't care. -It's not safe.
I don't care. I have been through hell to get here.
Yeah, how did you get here?
-How did you find me? -Just let me in!
Something's different. Did you get a new limp?
You spoke to Maggie Brener. You spoke to Maggie Brener.
You told her to fuck off!
Why did you tell Maggie Brener to fuck off?
Isn't that what you wanted me to say?
We didn't exactly part ways amicably, and I told her to fuck off anyway.
-But you didn't say no. -Seriously,
of all the things that you can be mad at me about right now,
me telling her to fuck off?
You didn't say no! You did not say no.
I wasn't going to dignify it with a response.
It's none of Maggie's fucking business. It's nobody's fucking business.
Why are you still such an idiot?
Of course it's nobody's fucking business.
But you did not deny it.
You didn't say no. And now it's in a book.
Is that why you're here?
What do you want?
I want you to tell everyone that you and I did not have sex.
So you tracked me down and you flew to Italy?
Yeah. I'm not gonna call you or text or email you this.
I don't want this fucking conversation up in a cloud.
It's a nine-hour flight, big fucking deal.
It's a very simple price to pay not to be associated with your dick.
I think the best thing you can do right now is to let it go,
-and to not give it any air. -Easy for you to say.
I still have a fucking life.
-Alex, I can't. -No.
You don't get to say no.
You do not get to say-- Of all people, you do not get to say no.
You do not know what I have been through.
I walked out on a debate.
That was about me?
No, it was about me. But it was your fucking fault.
-Hey, are you okay? Who died? -Am I okay? No!
Do you see me?
Have you heard a fucking word that I've said out there?
I skipped town a week and a half after I went back to the show.
I no-showed a debate.
I charter a plane into the middle of a hot zone 4,000 miles away,
and I didn't tell a fucking soul where I was going.
Does any of this seem like something that someone who's okay would do?
Well, I guess nobody is okay, so you're in good company.
Oh, God. Please. Just put Philosophical Mitch away.
He's not as smart as you think he is, all right?
I need you to release a statement.
-You and me never happened. -Alex, I'm done lying.
You've got to be kidding me.
Really? Now you're too good to lie?
You're too good to lie when it fucks up my life?
Why do I have to lie? Why is that going to fuck up your life?
Because I lied on national television,
when Laura Peterson
just sideswiped me with that fucking question about
"What was the nature of your relationship with Mitch Kessler?"
You really think that that's gonna fuck up your life?
Being associated with me?
Well, how's your life been going, being associated with you?
You lose your career? Did your family fall apart?
You've been ostracized by polite society?
Does your life have any meaning or purpose left at all?
Nobody will respect me if they think that I slept with you.
Okay, I'll do it.
You know, I've done a lot of things that I regret.
I've made some really bad decisions. Things I'm not proud about.
But, even though I feel remorse,
I'm the person who did those things. So I know that I am no angel.
And here I thought that you were doing this
to keep Lizzy from knowing,
or Jason from looking foolish,
but it was the mere fact that having consensual sex with me
was so vile that it will end your life.
I'll do it. I mean, it doesn't matter.
It's fine. Is there anything else?
Hey. Did you see where I left my cigarettes?
Hi.
Never mind. I'll find them.
Oh, man. What? Wow.
It's unbelievable. That's why you leave your kids?
That's that crazy woman from that video at the café.
I didn't leave my kids. I would never leave my kids.
And you know that, so spare me that fake outrage, Alex.
I didn't know you brought them here.
Are they here with you? You should have told me.
You couldn't be more wrong. First of all,
-her name is Paola, and she is not crazy. -I didn't ask.
She's impressive and she's smart
and we have a nice relationship
-which I will not mess up with sex. -Okay.
-She's a documentarian. -She's a documentarian.
Yeah, she's a rather good one too. She's naturally gifted.
-I bet she's gifted. -Okay, don't start.
She's her own worst enemy,
which is something I know a little bit about, so I'm helping her.
With your help, she can be the next Leni Riefenstahl.
Seriously, what, is this woman a crusade for you of some kind?
-You just decided to help her? -Yeah, sure. That's it. Right.
You know you're divorced and you are allowed to date?
I don't want to sully her with the permanent stink of having fucked me.
I would hate for her to become the subject of a book.
Yeah.
So you'll release a statement?
You know what? In fact, I actually need you to call your publicist
in front of me, and I need to hear it--
My publicist dumped me.
Well, yeah. That figures.
Okay. Well, then you're gonna need to write a letter,
and I need to have a piece of paper in my hand when I leave this house.
-You wanna see me write a letter? -I wanna see you write it.
Okay.
I did not
-fuck Alex Levy. -You're such a dick.
Best regards,
Mitch Kessler.
-You want me to get this notarized? -Cut the shit.
No. I need a real statement.
Just write me a real statement.
Well, you know, these things usually are transmitted electronically--
I don't give a shit. I want to walk out here with a piece of paper in my hand.
Then you're gonna have to wait,
because I'm going to have to talk to my attorney,
and we're going to have to send it to you.
How am I supposed to know you're telling me the truth?
I guess you'll just have to trust me.
All right. Then write your new number on a piece of paper
so I can check in on if you've lied to me again.
Have a nice life.
Hey.
How much of that did you hear?
Some. You shouldn't leave it like that.
It wouldn't have been my choice.
It is your choice.
Hey. I thought you were going.
Can't get out of your fucking gate.
Just take it as a sign, and why don't you hang out for a couple of minutes?
No! You're not keeping me prisoner in here.
What is this, like the door in your dressing room?
Oh, God. Fuck you. Fuck you, Alex.
It shut the door, it didn't lock the door.
It was your fucking suggestion in the first place.
I didn't do that so I'd get my dick sucked in private.
Will you let me out of here?
Okay. Okay, no. I'm sorry.
I don't give a shit. Just let me out of here.
Could we please just talk for a second?
You came all the way to Italy to see me.
-You could've just called me. -You changed your number, dipshit.
You tracked me down on the other side of the globe.
I think you could have found my new number.
I get that our relationship is too damaged,
and I know that we may never see each other again,
but you are probably the most important relationship I had.
And I was shitty to you.
And I just wanna talk
and try to arrive at some sort of understanding between us
so we can go on with our lives.
I don't want to spend the rest of our lives hating each other.
Could we just talk?
Alex, I was two-faced.
The benefit of hindsight, that's really the only way to put it.
At the time, I guess I thought that we were playing some sort of game.
It was like a competition.
I don't know why I couldn't embrace
the idea of us just winning as a team.
I guess I lost track of what was important.
I can't--
I don't wanna walk around like this anymore.
My back is killing me-- I have to catch a flight.
-Right now? -Yeah. I have to get back to work.
What if I hadn't been home?
-You were. -Well, what if I hadn't been, Alex?
But you're in a lockdown.
Look, all right. All right, you have to go.
Do you have any response to what I just said?
What do you want me to say? How would you like me to respond?
-I don't know. -That I forgive you?
-'Cause I don't forgive you. -I'm not asking you to forgive me--
Then what do you want from me?
I want you to understand why I did some of the fucked-up things that I did.
I'm pretty sure I understand you.
It actually scares me how much I understand you.
I promise that you don't. Not about this.
And why are you so sure?
Because if you understood, you would know.
Look, none of what I am saying--
I know it doesn't absolve what I did.
I just don't want you to think that it came from a malicious place.
So you just sort of stumbled into backstabbing people?
Into fucking people who would have you?
Or wouldn't have you?
I just don't want you to think that I'm evil.
I have to catch my flight. As always, it was a pleasure.
Fuck you. God,
were you actually going to say that I raped you?
Just to confirm, you'll release that statement?
Yeah, I'll release the goddamn statement.
And just so you know,
I don't think what you did with me really qualifies as sex.
Press the button three times to unlock the gate.
Hi, I need a flight to New York.
Okay, madam. When would you like to leave?
Now. I can be there in an hour.
-We don't have anything available. -Then I'll call someone else.
Everyone from Fashion Week is trying to leave.
Okay, let me ask you this way.
Is--
Do you have a private jet leaving from Milan tonight?
We do, but--
Okay. So how much are they paying?
The planes are booked. I cannot just cancel reservations--
You didn't hear what I was willing to pay. How much did they pay?
-Madam, I have other calls. -All right. I'll come down there
and talk to someone who might give a shit about me.
-That is not a-- -Fuck.
Fuck.
What are you doing?
I want you to watch me delete it.
No, no. It's fine. I'm sorry I brought it up.
Look, look.
I'm going to drag it--
-Empty trash. Gone. -Okay.
And off I go.
Why? Look, I'm not leaving right away.
Is this because of Alex?
Okay. I'm gonna be better in a couple of minutes.
-Just stay. -It's just time for me to go.
What?
It's just time for me to go. We were quarantining.
I know that you don't actually want to leave,
so could we just stop with the pretending?
Thank you for everything you've done for me.
It's been a successful crusade.
Okay. No, no. That was her term. Her term.
Yeah, yeah. Don't get weird about that. That's fine.
By the way, I did get a message from the professor's daughter.
And he died this morning.
-He died? -Yeah.
I will send flowers.
I will put your name on them as well.
Yeah, thanks.
-Bye. -Bye.
Hey, it's Lizzy. I'm not here right now. Leave a message.
Hi, babe, it's Mom.
Just checking in.
I'm not sure if you've been trying to call me or not,
but I just want you to know that
there's this book that's coming out
called Wrong Side of the Bed.
It's so fucking stupid.
And in there, there's some really horrible things about me.
But just because they're in there,
it doesn't mean that they're true, okay?
You just have to know that.
And I just love you so much.
I just love you so much.
You're everything on this planet Earth to me.
So, just--
I wanted you to know that.
Okay, so, I'll talk to you soon.
Shit!
Oh, God. Oh, my God.
Okay. Okay.
Oh, God.
"Turn"--
Okay.
Oh, my God.
Sorry?
…lockdown.
I'm sorry. I could not hear you.
I can't understand what you're saying.
I said do not roll your window.
I'm so sorry.
No, no. Just leave it down.
Okay. Okay, okay.
Can I see your ID?
Sorry. One second.
Yes, my ID.
How long have you been here?
I got here yesterday.
Do you have a place to stay,
or are you just planning to sleep in a car?
I was visiting a friend,
and then I was driving to the airport last night.
And then I got really-- I was falling asleep,
so I just pulled over 'cause
I just wanted to be safe. Safety first.
What time's your flight today?
Yeah. I don't actually have the flight yet--
Signora, there is a lockdown.
If you let me go now to the airport,
all good, rested and ready to go.
So I will get there, book my flight, and there-- Grazie mille.
I want to see you make arrangements.
Okay.
My phone is dead. I did not charge my phone.
I can call someone for you.
I don't have any numbers. I just don't know any numbers.
I thought you were here to see a friend.
Okay.
What's his name?
Mitch Kessler.
Hello, is this Mr. Mitch Kessler?
This is Officer Bianchi. Polizia municipale.
Are you friends with a Ms. Alexandra Levy?
Hello?
Here's some breakfast if you are hungry. There's coffee.
Going to stay upstairs and out of your way.
I really don't wanna talk to you anymore.
It's too hard.
I left the statement for you in the envelope.
Oh, God.
Oh, God. Fuck.
Jesus, Alex. You didn't have to fly to Italy to break all of my stuff.
Hey. Hey.
Alex.
I'm trapped in Italy, and I don't know
who I am or what I'm supposed to be doing.
And I just miss you.
That is great.
Thank you for shuffling things around for us.
She will be there at 6:00 a.m. Perfect.
And to reiterate,
no one can know that my boss was even in Italy.
That's right. Thank you so much.
They said it couldn't be done.
Anything can happen when you lie.
Well, yeah. That's true. But this was acting.
Do you feel bad that some schmuck's getting a phone call
that he has to reschedule his whole flight plan?
I don't feel badly for anyone who can afford to fly private.
Except for you.
Goes without saying.
Well, I have until 3:00 a.m. What are we gonna do?
Let's pretend.
"What ex-president missed the slab of pork
while showing off his ax-wielding skills to a group of Moscow butchers?"
Nixon.
-What color? -Green.
What are-- Wait a sec. Is this the-- Is that right?
"What are Alvin, Simon and Theodore?"
That's easy. Gay.
Hey!
You can't say that shit anymore!
I'm not judging them.
It is a perfectly acceptable lifestyle for chipmunks these days.
-That's what you were going for. -Ding-ding-ding!
They're chipmunks. Okay.
Right. Okay. Oh, my God. You're gonna love this one.
"Who is the Your Day, America anchor
who replaced Blair Todman after her 12-year run?"
-That's not on there. -No. It's right there.
Okay. Laura Peterson. Good God, these are old cards.
She's not that much older than you are.
She's older than me. She'll always be older than me, forever.
Forever and ever and ever and ever. I'm bored.
-You're bored? -I'm very bored.
Yes, you heard me. Talking about Laura Peterson is boring.
We have been locked in this place for two weeks,
and I still have not gotten bored.
Two weeks? Just the two of you?
Did your friend leave because of me?
-It wasn't because of you. -Sure it was.
I mean, a beautiful hunchback comes walking through your door,
having flown all the way from the United States of America to see you.
I doubt she thinks that.
I've talked to her about you.
Nothing bad. I told her how great you are,
and how I screwed things up between us.
Well, then it's definitely because of me.
No. I had something to do with it, I think.
Or maybe it was you.
Maybe she overheard what you said about her.
Oh, shit.
What did I say? Jesus.
I'm such a jerk.
-No. No. -I was just--
-Should we invite her back? -Yeah. Would that be okay?
Yeah. Sure. Whatever you want.
Okay.
I will invite her back.
Actually, could I ask you a favor?
If I gave you her number, would you give her a call?
Give her a call?
Yeah. I mean, I can help her out with her work,
but I'm not connected in the same way that I used to be.
But you are, and I thought maybe you could help her.
Introduce her a little bit. Not right now.
-You know, somewhere down the line. -Okay.
Give it some time. She needs to get her footing.
And I don't want her to feel any pressure.
Sure. Yeah, I can do that.
Great. Thank you.
Wow.
That's so-- I mean--
How long do we think these have been sitting in this house?
I don't know. They're pretty great.
Some of these are hilarious.
Look at that guy.
Italian stallion.
You're gonna like this.
Oh, no. There he is. I know that guy.
I know that guy.
Please don't hit on me and ruin this beautiful moment.
I am not trying to hit on you.
I don't want you to like me.
I just don't want you to hate me. That's all I want.
Oh, no.
God, look at this.
I mean, honestly, so this is what being canceled looks like.
-Oh, God. That word. -Is it?
-It's not bad. -I have not been canceled.
There is only one
entity that could have the power to do that.
And that is the great programmer in the sky.
What are you talking about?
But seriously, come on.
I've made some mistakes
-and I just-- I need to know a little-- -Okay.
All right. I think probably the best part of it,
is that you get to know what's real in your life.
Who's there and who's not there.
And who believes that you have
the capacity as a human being to change.
Who's that for you?
Well, that's a list of one. And she doesn't know me very well.
I am so sorry so much bad shit went down between us.
It doesn't matter.
At our core, you and I, we know how close we are.
Remember…
Remember Chile?
Of course.
I've never told anybody this,
but for a little period thereafter, I…
I thought I was pregnant.
Jesus, Alex. I'm so sorry.
Oh, no. It wasn't a bad thing.
It wasn't. It wasn't a bad thing, honestly.
I loved you so much. Not as a lover, you know, but as a partner.
Two just lost souls, you know…
found each other and…
Until we just blew everything the fuck up.
I really…
And I really--
I really wanted to…
I really wanted to have it.
You know, I just--
I'd stay up at night just kinda wracking my brain
just trying to see how I could keep it.
But I was just late, you know.
But I grieved it just the same, you know.
-Are you asleep? -I should be asleep.
I can't. I mean, considering all the bottles of wine we drank and the jet lag.
I can't get comfortable.
-Is that couch no good? -No, my back's no good.
Just paying for my swift dance moves earlier.
How can I help?
It actually might help me if I lay flat on the hard floor.
-Yeah. -Do you mind?
-No, no. It might be kinda dirty, so… -I don't care.
Be my guest.
Paola coming back?
She hasn't responded.
-I'm sorry. -That's okay.
Do you mind if I join you in a prone position?
Not at all. It's a free country. Wait. We're in Italy.
Well, Italy is a free country.
Outside of the government lockdowns, it is.
That's so much better.
Yeah.
I'm bitter sometimes.
I can go to some pretty dark places.
I lost everything that I thought gave my life meaning.
My work life. My sex life.
Your work sex life.
-I'm being serious. Come on. -I'm sorry. I'm kidding. I'm kidding.
-It's okay. -Sorry.
It just, you know, makes you appreciate everything.
If you and I had, whatever,
worked at McDonald's together, we would have had a blast.
Do you know how many burgers we would have sold?
The most.
Like ever of all burger sales of all-time records.
Yes. Definitely.
We would be like the award-winning burger sellers.
Oh, yeah. Burger Team 2000.
That's right. 'Cause we were the best.
We are. We're the best.
-We're the best at everything. -Everything.
We'd make the best burgers.
-Pretty good. -Really good.
Do you mind if I…
Oh, yeah. No, I don't mind.
-You got it? You good? -Yes.
Okay.
…have died from the respiratory virus,
and 27 people are currently hospitalized in intensive care units.
-Officials in Lombardy have banned… -Hey.
Hey. You're awake. I guess I can turn this up.
Oh, God. Can I please have a sip of your water?
Yeah, sure.
And out of America, a bombshell from journalist Maggie Brener's
upcoming exposé on the behind-the-scenes troubles at UBA's The Morning Show,
to be published in Vanity Fair.
Those with knowledge of the contents of this first excerpt
say it includes allegations that disgraced former anchor, Mitch Kessler,
targeted an inordinate amount of his inappropriate sexual advances
toward Black women.
You've got to be fucking kidding me! Goddamn it!
I guess all the shitty things I did weren't shitty enough.
'Cause they had to make up some other shit!
You don't think I did that.
You don't think I targeted Black women, do you?
I'm attracted to them.
I'm old enough to remember when that was considered progressive.
The US is requesting the extradition…
I have to go.
Hold on. You don't have to go for a few hours.
I know, but I just should.
Alex, you don't actually think I did that?
Mitch, just because you didn't mean to do it doesn't make it okay.
Isn't the fact that I didn't mean to do it worth something?
I mean, I guess I'm--
I guess I don't have the tools to understand.
Could you-- Teach me. Teach me. Could you teach me, Alex?
I wanna be better. I wanna be a better person.
Please! No, seriously, Alex!
I just-- I want to be a good person.
I know. I know. I can't, honey. I can't.
I just have to go. Okay?
So you come here and you get me to tell the world
that you are someone you aren't,
so you don't get canceled like I did?
And then you will never tell anyone who you think I really am?
Never is a long time.
Alex, come on. Just be honest with me.
Okay.
Hey.
I'm sorry.
-Could I have a hug? -Course.
Will you still--
Yeah. I'll release the statement.
-Okay. -Will you look after Paola?
Course I will.
It's me.
-Hey. -Hey.
I just wanna make sure. Did you see the news?
-Yes, I did. -And do you…
I don't think I did that.
But I just-- I'm trying…
No, I don't think that's a good idea.
That's how I know it is.
Come.
I can feel that you like it.
No. I can't. I can't.
I'm sorry.
Damn it!
Show me your big fucking balls.
What the fuck are you talking-- What?
What?
Oh, no.
I'm out of cigarettes.
-They'll still kill you. -Yeah.
But, you know, when… you have the little death…
it just stimulates your appetite for the big death.
You are such an addict.
-Yes, I am. -You want me to go get 'em?
-Yes, I do. -Then get them I shall.
I have something to tell you.
What's up?
I didn't delete the interview.
Because
I thought if I was not gonna see you ever again…
I could, you know… I might want to watch it.
Well, if that's the reason, then you can safely delete it.
-Be right back. -No. Stay.
-I have to get your cigarettes. -No. Stay.
-Okay, you're going to get cigarettes? -I'm on a mission.
-Okay, then go. -I'm on a mission. I'm on a mission.
Okay. You're okay.
You're a good person. You're a good person.
Come on. Okay.
Thank God. Thank God.
As long as I am the president of the UBA news division,
behavior such as that exhibited by Mitch Kessler will not be tolerated.
Do not show your face tonight.
-I'm divorcing you. -What you did was wrong!
I didn't use you for a promotion. You used me.
You need to understand that what you're trying to do
is breaking my heart.
Rapist!
I didn't coerce you. I didn't trick you.
When Mitch Kessler decides he's having sex with you,
-you feel pretty fucking power-- -No, no, no, no!
You can't blame me for things that you regret.
You're a self-indulgent asshole.
You are the people that I love in the world!
Mitch, this is not okay. You need to leave.
Your credibility's gone. You have no allies left.